Gravity propeller release



' Oct; 18 1927.

1,646,204 w. s. KING 7 GRAVITY PROPELLER RELEASE Fiied Auz. so, 1926 lgwentor flitornejy Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES wrtnialvr s. K n er HARTFORD, connncrrcn'r.

GRAVITY PROPELLER Ba inese;

Application filed August 30, 1926. Serial No.132,611.

The present invention relates to a device for the purpose of preventing the breaking of propellers when they come out of water owing to rougliseasf An important ob'ect of the invention lies in the provision of automatic. means which will cut off the turbines or other prime mov ers in the vessel when the bow dips and the stern rises so as to bring the propellers out of water and to automatically turn on the power when the valve again rises.

Another very important object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this nature which is entirely automatic and will operate in an efiicient and reliable manner.

A still further important object of the invention lies in the provision of a device of this nature which possesses an exceedingly simple construction, that is inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, not likely to easily become. out of order, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

\Vith the above and numerous other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novelties of construction, and in the combination andarrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

The figure is a sectional elevation of the device embodying the features of my invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that denotes a bracket suspended from a ceiling or like support at the center of the vessel and pivotally supporting as at 6 the upper end of a pendulum rod 7 having engaged intermediate its ends adjacent its lower end a weight 8 by means of bolts 9 or in any other suitable manner. The numeral 10 denotes a bow base and the numeral 11 a stern base. These bases are mounted on the floor in the room in which the device may be located the former to the front and the latter to the rear of the bracket 5. A cylinder 12 is mounted on the base 10 and a similar cylinder 14 is mounted on the base 11. A pipe 15 communicates with the outer ends of the cylinders 12' and 14 which are alined longitudinally of the vessel. Pistons 16 are mounted for reciprocation in the cylinders 12 and 14 and have a common connecting rod 17 At the center of the com mon connecting rod 17 thereis formed a collar 18through which the lower end of the pendulum rod 7 projects. A pin and slot connection 19 is provided between the collar 18 and the pendulum rod 7 so that as the pendulum rod swings fore and aft the coni necting rod 17 and the pistons 16 will reciprocate fore and aft. Oil is provided in the cylinders and pipes and this oil is pumped back and forth from one cylinder to the other, thereby retarding the swinging movement of the cylinder and acting as a buffer therefor. A pair of spaced pins 21 are provided on the rod 17 and receive therebetween one end of a bell crank lever 22 which is connected with a rod 23 for controlling the steam valve of the steam turbines or operating suitable controls of other motive power which may be provided. Thus when the bow of the vessel dips the bell-crank lever 22 will be rocked in a clock-wise direction for shutting off the control so that when the propellers comeout of water they will not race, thereby eliminating the danger of breaking the propellers or the propeller shaft and eliminating the wear which is occasioned by the racing of the propellers and propeller shaft.

It will be seen that the device is entirely automatic and requires little or no attention. The device is simple and therefore may be manufactured at a low cost and yet will prove thoroughly etficient and reliable in use. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail by way of example since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description. It is apparent that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

' Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described including, in combination, a bracket, apendulum rod pivotally engaged at its upper end on the bracket, a weight on the pendulum rod, a pair of cylinders, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a rod connecting the pistons, a pipe connecting the cylinders, said cylinders adapted to receive oil pumped from one cylinder to the other by the pistons through the pipe, said rod connecting the pistons having a collar through which the lower end of the pendulum rod projects, a

pin and slot connection between the collar rod pivotally engaged at its upper end on the bracket, a Weight on the pendulum rod, a dash pot, a piston in the dash pot, a piston rod extending from the piston, connecting 15 means between the pendulum rod and the piston rod, a pair of spaced pins on the piston rod,a bell crank lever having one end disposed between the pins, and a rod extending from the bell crank lever for :07

operating controls. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM s. KING. 

